PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Crane McCain (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Felipe Alexandre (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Felipe Alexandre is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

McCain
vs
Alexandre

190 cm
25
180 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

180 cm
21
178 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Good in bed

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Powerful

Clube Da Esquina Nutrition ($10 Q156 Rec)
•‡• LION Clothing •‡• [CBK]

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Crane McCain!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Felipe Alexandre!
The judges for this bout are Seu Braga, Thiago Cunha and Emerson Jorge.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Alexandre fails with an attempt to clinch.

Alexandre moves into the clinch.
McCain tries to pull guard but Alexandre won't allow it.
Alexandre scores with a hook to the body.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Alexandre prevents a body shot from McCain.
McCain is trying to break the clinch but Alexandre is controlling him.
A nice left hand lands by Alexandre.
Alexandre throws a knee to the head but misses.
McCain jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Alexandre walks away with a smile on his face. McCain gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Alexandre tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but McCain paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Alexandre will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Alexandre gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Alexandre pushes McCain back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
McCain is trying to break the clinch but Alexandre is controlling him.
Alexandre has McCain pushed against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Alexandre pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Alexandre tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

McCain closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

McCain has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Alexandre regains guard immediately.
McCain won't allow Alexandre to get back to his feet.
McCain wants to control from the top but Alexandre keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Alexandre wants to stand up but McCain is controlling him.
McCain is looking to work some ground and pound but Alexandre has wrist control.
Alexandre wants to stand but McCain is controlling the position.
McCain wants to control from the top but Alexandre keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Alexandre closes the distance but McCain moves to the side

and McCain counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by McCain.
McCain looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Alexandre tries to work over McCain's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Alexandre misses with a punch on the inside.
McCain drops down looking for an ankle pick but Alexandre pulls his leg out and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Crane McCain. That's going to take a lot out of him.
McCain dodges the punch combination from Alexandre.
Alexandre tries to clinch but fails miserably

and McCain counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Alexandre is looking to stand up but McCain isn't so interested in that idea.
Alexandre really doesn't want to stay on the ground with McCain. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
McCain working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
McCain working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
McCain working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
McCain stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Alexandre swivels though and keeps the full guard.
McCain wants to control from the top but Alexandre keeps moving.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Crane McCain dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Alexandre misses with a double jab.

Alexandre clinches with his opponent.
Alexandre stops a takedown attempt from McCain.
Alexandre lands with a light punch inside.
Alexandre trying to stall but McCain improves his position.
McCain tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Alexandre stalling in the clinch.
Alexandre is looking to control McCain's arms but McCain gets an underhook and turns him. Now Alexandre has his back to the cage.
A head punch blocked on the inside by McCain.
Alexandre throws a punch but it's blocked by McCain.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
McCain wants to break free but Alexandre has control.
McCain looking for a takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Crane McCain. That's going to take a lot out of him.
McCain tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Alexandre just stands there and leans against the cage.
Alexandre trying to stall but McCain improves his position.
Alexandre with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Alexandre doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alexandre lands a hook that snaps the head of McCain backwards.
McCain misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Alexandre.
Alexandre fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Alexandre pressing his opponent against the cage.
McCain has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Alexandre is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Alexandre is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but McCain is keeping busy.
McCain trying to land knees to the body.
The referee calls for Alexandre to work.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Felipe Alexandre.
McCain avoids a kick to the body.
McCain shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Alexandre pinned against the cage. Alexandre gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Alexandre wants to clinch but McCain slips to the side

and McCain counters with a nice double leg into side control. Alexandre won't be happy with that.
Alexandre is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
McCain trying to control the action but Alexandre is working from the bottom.
Alexandre wants to get back to his feet but McCain is dominant here and he's now got Alexandre's back!

McCain looking for the choke but no joy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

McCain is persistently looking for the submission but Alexandre is defending it well.
Alexandre is trying to get back to his feet but McCain has full control of the position and if anything, Alexandre has just worked his way into a worse spot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Will McCain go for the finish here or will he try and keep control of the position?
Alexandre wants to get back to his feet.
McCain looking to hold on to the position here but Alexandre rolls and ends up regaining guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Crane McCain dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Alexandre fakes high and swings low for a body shot but McCain manages to avoid it.

McCain closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Alexandre is trying to stand back up but McCain is controlling him
McCain not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
McCain not landing any meaningful shots this time.
McCain is figuring out what he wants to do next.
McCain seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Alexandre does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McCain moves into full mount! Alexandre won't be happy about that!
Alexandre wants to get back to his feet.

McCain jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Alexandre is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Alexandre and McCain has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

McCain goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Alexandre has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for McCain but great work by Alexandre.

Alexandre stands up.
Crane McCain is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Alexandre lands a really nice looking cross but McCain seems unphased.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McCain shoots in for a double leg but Alexandre sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
A head kick misses from McCain.
Alexandre tries to clinch

and McCain counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
McCain prevents Alexandre from standing back up.
Alexandre is refusing to be controlled, as McCain sits in half guard.
Felipe Alexandre has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Alexandre keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
McCain is trying to control. Alexandre wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Alexandre is trying to stand.
Alexandre keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Alexandre won't allow McCain to pass to mount.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
A telegraphed right hand from Alexandre misses the target.

Alexandre clinches up with McCain and pushes him back against the cage.
McCain goes for a takedown in the clinch but Alexandre prevents it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
McCain tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Alexandre smiles and moves away.
Crane McCain is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Crane McCain. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Alexandre misses with a double jab.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Crane McCain.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for McCain, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Seu Braga scores the fight 30:27
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 29:28
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Crane McCain!